Album Review: Sports - Modern Baseball

           Last week, the almighty contemporary punk genre known as pop-punk was introduced. Now, after you've perhaps read that article and listened to Citizen's Youth, you are ready for what comes next. The next wonderful subgenre you'll be introduced to is known as emo.
     Now I know what you're thinking. The word emo doesn't really have the best wrap. It may mean one thing to you now based on what you know, but in music it's a completely different thing. As defined by Wikipedia, emo music is:

     A style of rock music characterized by expressive, often confessional, lyrics.

An artist you are probably familiar, Weezer, has actually
delved into the emo genre. This record, Pinkterton, was initially a
considered a commercial failure. But, now it is considered an influential
record  in emo. Odds are, you are probably familiar with other emo acts as well.

     So, promise me whenever the word emo is used in this blog post not to associate it with sad, angsty teenagers in black skinny jeans and the music they tend to listen to. Instead, perhaps interpret it as the word emotional because that is what it stands for. If you can get passed this unfortunate title to a great genre, then read on and listen to the artist that is being reviewed, and hopefully, you won't regret it.
     The record that will be reviewed this week is that of Modern Baseball's Sports. Modern Baseball is an American EMO band formed in 2011 when frontmen Brendan Lukens and Jake Ewald started an acoustic duo as high school friends. Then, they began to pursue music more intimately after they met drummer Sean Huber and bassist Ian Farmer in college. After recording and releasing various EPs, Modern Baseball released their debut LP, Sports, in 2012 on Lame-O Records. 

All four members of Modern Baseball. From left to right,
Sean Huber, Jake Ewald, Ian Farmer, and Brendan Lukens

     Sports opens bluntly and appropriately, its beginning lyrics being, "I wanna start from the top." These words lead into a barebones melody accompanied by a subtle bass guitar and drum track. After about 20 seconds, Brendan, one of the lead singers, jumps right into a faster pace and more involved instrumentals. This track offers an energetic and pounding chorus, easily getting stuck in your head and leaving you wanting more. 
     Now, before I continue, I want to address this band's rather unique set of vocals. At first, I couldn't appreciate them, and I thought of them as rather annoying as well. But, with more listening, I've come to love the vocals. To me, there are no better vocals to accompany the music of Modern Baseball. The vocals simply are Modern Baseball, and while Brendan and Jake aren't necessarily the most talented vocalists, they use their vocals to their advantage through their instrumentals and catchy rhythms. Hopefully, the vocals catch your attention and they will grow onto you as well. But hey, we're all entitled to our own opinions.

Sports album artwork. (I'll be
recieving this record on
vinyl by next week. Stoked!

     Now, let's address some themes this record implements in its lyrics and music. Despite being labled an emo band, Modern Baseball is also very poppy, and, could most definitely be considered indie-pop. For instance, songs like Tears Over Beers and The Weekend offer addictive basslines and group vocals that you'd imagine the (in a musical sense) pop-punk-est person to chant while they shower. The lyrics are, as previously explained, expressive and confessional. Modern Baseball does an excellent job relating to their listeners through very direct lyrics. From telling stories of high school stories and how their friends are stuck in the past to passive-aggressive IPhone usage, Modern Baseball makes sure they're relating to your past, or maybe even your present. This is an aspect I've come to love about this band. While their lyrics aren't that of legendary poets, there is a certain intimacy between me and this band. 
    Instrumentally, this band doesn't follow a certain outline per song. There is a lot of variation between songs in terms of instrumentation. This keeps the whole record fresh. There is a perfect mixture of acoustic and electric songs in this record, so you're never bored (that is, if you like them to begin with). The drum tracks aren't as clean as they should be, but I feel like that adds to the warm feel of the album. Overall, the album is mixed excellently and presents its themes and ideas effectively.
    Some aspects of this record I consider on the negative side are its simple lyrics. While they add to the relatability of the whole record, there is more to be desired. Also, the vocals DO in fact take time to grow on you, so don't expect to come into this band with perfect vocals. They are different.
    Now, I must admit going into this review there is some bias on my part. I am absolutely in love with this record, and my goal is to through the process of expressing my opinion of various records and artists to show the audience something they aren't as familiar with. Personally, I give this record a solid 9/10. I find myself always willing to turn to it, no matter my mood. It is excellent, and I hope to have informed you of a wonderful genre of music as well as a wonderful band. 
    Hey! I'm always down for discussion too, so feel free to comment, regardless of obligation. What did you think of the record and my interpretation of it? Post your opinions of certain songs or the record in general below. I have attached a video at just below this paragraph leading to a stream of the record. Thanks for reading!